Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Talks About Kumari Selja’s Future in Politics
Karnal (Haryana) [India], September 22: Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar responded to speculation about Congress leader Kumari Selja joining the BJP, saying, “Only she can answer” regarding her intentions. He suggested that after the treatment she has received from the Congress party, any self-respecting individual would contemplate their next steps.
Khattar’s comments highlight the growing tension surrounding Selja’s position within Congress as the Haryana elections approach. “When she will join the BJP, only she can answer this. The kind of behaviour that I have heard about her, the way Congress has treated her, after that any self-respecting person will definitely think about his next step,” Khattar said.
Earlier on Saturday, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini took a dig at Congress over apparent internal differences and reports in sections of the media about its senior leader Kumari Selja not being visible in the assembly poll campaign for a few days and alleged that the main opposition party “does not respect Dalits.”
He said Kumari Selja, who is an MP from Sirsa, is a leader, and if she wanted to become the Chief Minister, what crime has she committed. He alleged that she has been insulted. “Congress is anti-Dalit, Congress does not respect Dalits. If any Dalit leader wants to move forward in Congress, Congress crushes that leader. Kumari Selja is not a small leader, she is a very big leader of Congress, a big leader of Dalits… She is a leader, if she wanted to become the Chief Minister, what crime did she commit? The Congress party is stuck in nepotism, they do not think beyond nepotism,” the Chief Minister said on speculation that Kumari Selja may join the BJP.
However, Congress candidate from Uchana Kalan assembly constituency Brijendra Singh dismissed any speculation of Kumari Selja leaving the party. He alleged that the BJP is “facing frustration” in Haryana elections. “Kumari Selja is one of the very senior leaders, there is no point in saying such things about her. She will contribute fully to Congress in this election… BJP is a shop of lies,” Brijendra Singh said.
Kumari Selja, a former Union Minister, is seen to be a bete noire of Congress leader and former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. She was not present when the Congress released its seven guarantees for Haryana at a press conference at the AICC headquarters. Former Haryana Chief Minister and BJP leader Manohar Lal Khattar earlier did not rule out the possibility of senior leaders leaving Congress in the run-up to the Haryana polls.
Voting for the 90-member legislative assembly in Haryana will be held on October 5. Votes will be counted on October 8 along with that in Jammu and Kashmir.
Doubts Revealed
Union Minister -: A Union Minister is a person who is in charge of a specific department in the central government of India, like education or health.
Manohar Lal Khattar -: Manohar Lal Khattar is a politician from India who is currently serving as the Chief Minister of Haryana, a state in India.
Kumari Selja -: Kumari Selja is a politician in India who is a member of the Congress party. She has held various important positions in the government.
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party, which is one of the two major political parties in India.
Congress -: Congress, also known as the Indian National Congress, is another major political party in India.
Dalits -: Dalits are people who belong to the lowest caste in the traditional Indian caste system. They have faced discrimination and are often given special support by the government.
Haryana -: Haryana is a state in northern India. It is known for its agriculture and is close to the national capital, New Delhi.
Elections -: Elections are a process where people vote to choose their leaders. In this case, people in Haryana will vote to choose their state government.
